(Image source from: x.com/BSPTamilnadu)
The Chennai police took down a key suspect in the murder of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Tamil Nadu unit chief K Armstrong on Sunday. The suspect, K Thirengadam (33), was one of the 11 accused arrested in the Armstrong murder case. Police brought Thiruvengadam to his residence in theali around 7am to seize the weapons in the murder. On the way back, Thiruvengadam asked the officers to stop for a break. When the police vehicle halted near Retteri lake, he shoved the officers and attempted to flee. The police gave chase, and when a sub-inspector tried to apprehend him, Thiruvengadam allegedly pulled out a hidden gun and tried to open fire. In self-defense, the officers immediately fired at him, injuring the suspect. Thiruvengadam was rushed to a government hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The policed not provide details on how the accused obtained the gun.
The authorities have initiated official proceedings and ordered a formal investigation into the tragic incident, according to a senior law enforcement official. On July 5th, a gang viciously attacked and killed Armstrong near his residence in Perambur, Chennai. Following the murder, the police have apprehended 11 suspects and have been interrogating them for the past five days. The investigators found the involvement of associates linked to the slain gangster Arcot Suresh, who wasinated last August, in the BSP state chief's demise. Additionally, surveillance camera footage depicting the murder has surfaced on social media platforms. The video, lasting approximately two and a half minutes, purportedly shows several individuals arriving one by one at a construction site in Perambur. Two men dressed in red uniforms, resembling food delivery workers, approach Armstrong, who is seen overseeing the construction site, and proceed to stab him repeatedly before fleeing the scene. Opposition parties, who have been criticizing the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government over the law and order situation, have expressed skepticism about the encounter killing, suggesting it may be a coverup by the ruling party to shield the actual perpetrators in the Armstrong murder case.
The leader of the opposition in the assembly and the general secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), Edappadi Palaniswami, stated to reporters that "the culprits must be brought to justice." He expressed concerns that the recent police encounter has only raised more, as those close to Armstrong believe the real perpetrators have not been apprehended. Similarly, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state chief, K Annamalai, expressed his belief on X that there is an attempt to conceal the truth. He called on the DMK government to conduct a fair and speedy inquiry into the Armstrong murder. Senior DMK leader and Hindu Religious Foundation minister Shekhar Babu said those responsible for the killing of the Bahujan Samaj Party leader would be punished. "The case is under investigation, so it would be inappropriate to comment, but we promise that the government will bring the culprits to justice," Babu said. "Our police will not allow the accused to escape".
